A WORD LESS TRAVELED

Greg MoragoTHE HARTFORD COURANT

What in Hades is perdition? Well, Hell.

Tom Hanks' "Road to Perdition," which opens today, might have a few people scratching their heads about the definition of perdition or the meaning of the title. Perdition, after all, isn't a word well traveled despite being on the "Road."

Merriam-Webster tells us that the slightly arcane word means "eternal damnation" or "hell." In one sense, perdition is more a state of being than an actual place (not to be confused with "purgatory," which one might consider a temporary perdition).

According to the movie's press materials, "Road to Perdition" is a title with a dual meaning -- a literal and figurative journey to perdition. Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a Depression-era Chicago hit man who takes to the road with his son -- bound for a place called Perdition -- after his wife and other son are killed. Despite his occupation and his journey of revenge, Sullivan prays he can keep his son from traveling the road to perdition.

Director Sam Mendes said: "Michael Sullivan considers himself to have been put on the road to Hell. Now he is in a battle for the soul of his son. Can a man who has led a bad life achieve redemption through his child? That is one of the central questions asked by the movie."

"Road to Perdition" is based on the graphic novel by Max Allan Collins (art by Richard Piers Rayner). In the book, Perdition is a farming community in Kansas. Perdition is where Sullivan hopes to find sanctuary for his son.

So does Hanks' character find salvation or perdition in Perdition? We'll be damned if we're going to spoil the movie for you.